In the shade of the Redwoods

 Tonight I'm privileged to be spending a second night sleeping beneath the canopy of the giant Redwoods. They really are every bit as magnificent as I had imagined, if not even more so! Having sorted my little brake problem yesterday morning with a Helicoil set from AutoZone and an electric drill and bits borrowed from the River City Campground host, I was indeed back on the road by lunchtime. It was not to be a long mileage day though. My plan, such as it was, was simply to ride through the Redwood State Park and just see how the day progressed. Whilst it was sunny as I left River City, it wasn't long before the smoke once more started to mask the sunshine, and the temperature dropped. Stopping in an Information centre to pick up what ever maps and info I could, I was told by Janice one of the two very helpful ladies running the place, that the huge amount of smoke being given off by all the fires had caused a temperature inversion! Well, whatever the cause it stayed below 20c all day, the coolest I've ridden in for a while. Janice also sorted me out with an array of maps covering just about every eventuality in California. I rode slowly onward through the giant trees, completely overawed by the majesty of them. I lost count of the number of time I stopped, just to stand and stare. “ A poor life this, if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare” and I certainly did my share of both. 

I swung into a small car park where it was signposted that there was a footpath to “The Big Tree “, ”Jesus” I thought “ How much bigger can it be?” The answer was, a lot bigger!  The Big Tree was apparently 1500 years old. Wow, I think there were still dinosaurs roaming the earth in those days…OK, yes, I know that there are still a few of them about now ….LOL. Seriously though, it was truly gigantic, as can be seen from the statistics in the photo of the sign.

I wanted to camp up whilst still in the Redwood park, although I needn’t have worried as they run for about 100 miles down the coast, but when I eventually decided to call it a day the first shock was that the site was full. Well it was except that it wasn’t. It seems that they keep a few sites back which they give out on a discretionary basis. I was given the third degree as to how long I’d been riding, how tired was I, would it be dangerous if I carried on... This was all said with a twinkle in her eye and I guess I must have given the correct answers, not that she prompted me at all you realise, as I was given a huge site. I responded by offering to share it should any other “weary” travellers who might turn up looking for a pitch. Low and behold, hardly had I finished by dinner when two BMW F800s arrived. Justin was clearly a little puzzled as he had been told to came and find me and check out if it was OK for them to stay. So the very large pitch took on a rather more crowded appearance as Justin and Sarp (Turkish) set up their two tents alongside mine. It’s actually quite fun to share a pitch in this way with like minded people and it’s something that I’ve done several times on this trip without any problems.  This time it also worked out particularly well, as whilst I had a few beers, they also  had ice and a cooler bag and a few more beers!.

The following morning I cooked up some scrambled egg and onion for us all and we hit the road at the same time but with Justin & Sarp turning left back to the Big Tree, whilst I turned right along Hwy 1 and the coast. The weather was still very grey and cold, not at all how I’d imagined California. It even managed a little precipitation; to call it rain would be an insult to “proper” rain! However, that didn’t last long. It also wasn’t long before I spotted the two Beemers looming large in my mirrors. I waved them by; I was in no rush, whilst they had 1000 miles to cover in three days to get back to their homes in San Diego.

Under the redwood with Sarp & Justin

I rode through Trinidad, Lucern and Eureka; they sure know how to pick town names over here. I spotted a sign for Ferndale, and no, it wasn’t in the Rondda Valley! The sign made it sound interesting and historic so I turned off and headed the 10 miles which was more or less in the wrong direction, thinking “this had better be worth it”. It was! In fact it was almost like a slightly less touristy Dawson City with old timber clad buildings all beautifully restored, and with the exception of yours truly, not a tourist in sight! From there it was back to Hwy 101 until the turnoff for scenic Hwy 36, which had been recommended to me, running through yet more Redwoods (and more wild fires) for around 120 miles. I stopped short of the end and here I sit under another amazing Redwood canopy but this time the only other occupant of the site is a small slide-in RV parked just inside the entrance, whilst I have set up my camp at the far end. I’ve already lit my camp fire which is heating up nicely to cook my steak for dinner on it's grill plate.

A herd of Elk spotted just after I left camp this morning